Church

The National Monuments Service's description

On a rise in undulating pasture, within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-059001-), with wide views from S to N and higher ground to the E. A hachured circular enclosure (see cashel CL009-059101-) is labelled ‘Site of Kilcameen Church’ on the 1842 ed. of the OS 6-inch map. On the 1920 ed., it is named ‘Kilcameen Church (Site of) and the symbol for ‘Site of’ is shown within a small roughly rectangular ‘Grave Yard’ (see CL009-059008-), which is indicated by a broken line. Labelled ‘Cill Chaimín’ on Robinson’s map (1977). In the Ordnance Survey Letters of 1839, Eugene Curry noted that: ‘The site of an old Church and burying ground lie in the Townland of Caherminane and within the Caher. They call this place Cill-Chainín, at the same time they don’t believe it to have been a Church at all’ (Comber 1997, 90). Westropp (1900-1902, 137) suggested that the postulated church may have been founded by Caimín of Inniscaltra (c. AD 640) (see also Swinfen 1992, 33). No visible surface trace of it survives within the cashel, in which there is a children’s burial ground (CL009-059008-), a cist (CL009-059010-) and a cairn. Tobar Chaimín holy well (CL009-059010-) lies c. 34m to the S. (Large 20211)

Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Conn Herriott

Date of upload: 9 March 2022

References

Westropp, T.J. 1900-02 The cahers of county Clare: their names, features, and bibliography. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy Series 3, vol. 6, 415-49.

Comber, M. (ed.) 1997 The antiquities of County Clare: John O’Donovan and Eugene Curry: Ordnance Survey Letters 1839. Clasp Press. Ennis.

Robinson, T. 1977 (revised 1999) The Burren: a two-inch map of the uplands of north-west Clare. Map scale 1:31680. Roundstone: Folding Landscapes.

Swinfen, A. 1992 Forgotten stones: Ancient church sites of the Burren and environs. Dublin. Lilliput Press.

Large, S. 2011 A church and graveyard survey in County Clare. Database and photographic record. Clare County Council. Clare Heritage Forum. The Heritage Council.